R.F. O'Sullivan & Son

New American restaurant · Somerville

R.F. O'Sullivan & Son

New American restaurant · Somerville

5

282 Beacon St, Somerville, MA 02143

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R.F. O'Sullivan & Son by Rachel Leah Blumenthal/Eater Boston
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R.F. O'Sullivan & Son by null
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R.F. O'Sullivan & Son by null
R.F. O'Sullivan & Son by null
R.F. O'Sullivan & Son by null
R.F. O'Sullivan & Son by null
R.F. O'Sullivan & Son by null
R.F. O'Sullivan & Son by null
R.F. O'Sullivan & Son by null
R.F. O'Sullivan & Son by null
R.F. O'Sullivan & Son by null
R.F. O'Sullivan & Son by null
R.F. O'Sullivan & Son by null
R.F. O'Sullivan & Son by null
R.F. O'Sullivan & Son by null
R.F. O'Sullivan & Son by null
R.F. O'Sullivan & Son by null
R.F. O'Sullivan & Son by null
R.F. O'Sullivan & Son by null
R.F. O'Sullivan & Son by null
R.F. O'Sullivan & Son by null
R.F. O'Sullivan & Son by null
R.F. O'Sullivan & Son by null
R.F. O'Sullivan & Son by null
R.F. O'Sullivan & Son by null
R.F. O'Sullivan & Son by null
R.F. O'Sullivan & Son by null
R.F. O'Sullivan & Son by null
R.F. O'Sullivan & Son by null
R.F. O'Sullivan & Son by null
R.F. O'Sullivan & Son by null
R.F. O'Sullivan & Son by null
R.F. O'Sullivan & Son by null
R.F. O'Sullivan & Son by null
R.F. O'Sullivan & Son by null
R.F. O'Sullivan & Son by null
R.F. O'Sullivan & Son by null
R.F. O'Sullivan & Son by null
R.F. O'Sullivan & Son by null
R.F. O'Sullivan & Son by null

Highlights

Bar & burger joint offering lots of options bearing half-pound, never-squished patties.  

Featured in The Infatuation
Featured in Eater

282 Beacon St, Somerville, MA 02143 Get directions

@rfosullivans

$$ · Menu

Information

Static Map

282 Beacon St, Somerville, MA 02143 Get directions

+1 617 945 1551
@rfosullivans

$$ · Menu

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Last updated

Jul 10, 2025

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@eater

"Serving up burgers since 1992, this classic Somerville spot goes through hundreds of pounds of burgers per week, according to a 2015 interview with owner Richard Sullivan. The restaurant is known for its tall half-pound, definitely unsquished patties." - Erika Adams, Rachel Leah Blumenthal, Terrence Doyle

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@eater

"From 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. on Wednesday, October 26, classic Somerville pub R. F. O’Sullivan & Son will host “green witch” Veronica Keddy to perform first-come, first-served readings of different lengths, prices, and tools — tarot cards, naturally, but also a pendulum, chicken feet, or teeth. At the same time, bar is offering a grisly food challenge: Finish five of the famously tall half-pound burgers, onion rings, French fries, and pickle spears to get your meal and a t-shirt free and your picture on a Hall of Fame board." - Adam H. Callaghan

11 Ways to Do Halloween 2022 Around Boston
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@infatuation

"Maybe you don’t expect to find a great burger at an Irish pub across the street from a parking lot, but the gods of Irish pubs work in drunken, mysterious ways. This place has a ton of different burgers, but they’re all made with giant, baseball-sized patties on a sesame seed bun that somehow holds it together. The house burger comes with a slice of ham and bacon on top of a nicely seasoned patty that’s ridiculously juicy." - dan secatore

The 9 Best Burgers In Boston
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@infatuation

"RF O’Sullivan is a classic Irish pub. Boston has a lot of those, but what sets this one apart is the burger selection. It has a ton of them, and all of them are made with enormous baseball-sized patties that are well-seasoned and perfectly cooked. Start with the house burger topped with ham and bacon if you don’t know where to start, but there’s enough variety here to find something you like." - Dan Secatore

R. F. O’Sullivan & Son Pub - Review - Somerville - Boston - The Infatuation
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@infatuation

"If you’re smart, you’ll go to RF O’Sullivan’s on a day when it’s raining. That way, you’ll already be wearing something to protect your shirt from the geysers of juice that spill out of the giant, perfectly cooked patties. There are over 30 different kinds of burgers here, they’re all huge, they’re all cooked to order, and they’re all served on a bun that basically turns into a sesame seed sponge by the time you finish. Grab a beer, watch the game, and enjoy what is essentially the platonic ideal of a pub burger." - dan secatore

Where To Have A Burger At The Bar By Yourself
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Viviana Randolph

Google
After many years I went back to O’Sullivan. It has new owners and the menu has changed a bit. Hamburgers are fresh and still delicious, chicken sandwich is a whole different thing, fried frozen breaded chicken in very dense, heavy waffles, also frozen, no fresh. I must add the onion rings were done to perfection. Prices still very affordable and the ambiance reflect that quiet and friendly neighborhood vibe OSulli had for many years and people love.

Wally

Google
Overall Rating: Okay. Good, filling burgers but wouldn’t consider it as one of the best burgers in Boston, MA. Probably wouldn’t come back. Burgers were cooked a nice medium rare, juicy, and fresh. But it was slightly dry and wasn’t seasoned enough. Granted it was a very thick patty but the meat just wasn’t anything special. Also did not like how the menu items were slightly too simple – each burger item had maybe 2 toppings each (not including lettuce & tomato). The bun was sweet, fresh, and lightly toasted, with a slight smear of butter. Each burger comes from a side of French fries which were impressively super-thick wedges that were well salted. Crunchy on the outside and soft & pillow-y on the inside. Small tavern with limited seating. Two bathrooms – one stall for women, one for men. Service was good, polite, and attentive. 1) Half a pound burger (medium rare) with grilled capicola, mozzarella cheese, bbq sauce, and then added sautéed onions & a fried egg, and lettuce & tomato. – Sunny-side up egg was runny, mozzarella cheese went very well with the burger, they could add more bbq sauce since there was WAY too little compared to the size of the patty (couldn’t even tell there was bbq sauce until I tried hunting for it under the sautéed onions). Could also add more sautéed onions since it only seemed a little compared to how much meat there was. Lettuce and tomato were good. The grilled capicola was only one slice but it had a nice, spicy kick to it – really liked it! But again, very little compared to the size of the burger. 2) The Sicilian Burger – medium rare burger with pepperoni & mozzarella cheese. Added lettuce & tomato. 3) Allagash beer – fresh, cool, and not bitter. Overall irks: I asked for the bbq sauce on the side and half French fires and half onion rings but when I received my burger, the bbq was already incorporated on the burger and I only got a side of French fries. Not the waiter’s fault since I saw her write it down but the cook probably ignored it – and the place wasn’t even crowded or busy. Also, burger topping proportions were a little off when eaten with the massive patty. Patty was slightly too dry and needed to be seasoned a little more. Would I recommend? Yes…but could find better burgers elsewhere.

Andressa Paccini

Google
If you look at the pictures be prepared cause the burgers are exactly as big as they look in the photos. If you aren't that hungry you can definitely share with someone. Loved the homemade fries. All of them come with LTO and fries or onion rings or half half. The burger is grilled. I order medium rare, but it came too cooked, I think that maybe is because the meat is too tall. I'll come back for sure!

rakesh dhawan

Google
Burgers are top notch. I tried their green monstah with vegan (impossible patty). Beer cheese was amazing! Got an half and half of onion rings and french fries along with it. This place is known for their burgers and rightly so :)

Shravan Sivakumar

Google
This is a great tavern serving some juicy and tasty gourmet burgers! I tried the Northerner with the sirloin cooked medium and the half-half. ( onion rings and wedges) Definitely among the top of Burger places in this area.

Roey Tzezana

Google
Absolutely beautiful presentation. The burgers were huge, the fries large and tasty. And the onion rings were the best I've ever eaten (you have to try them). The only downside was that the burger meat, while obviously of high quality, was not seasoned enough.

E Sosa

Google
Known for its burgers, this Phantom Gourmet favorite is a place worth driving to. Absolutely the juiciest burger I've ever had. Med/rare Blackjack burger was tasty and full of flavor. Staff was friendly and the atmosphere very casual. I Highly recommend this burger bar.

Travis Winden

Google
Every once in a while, someone will pull out so far ahead of the pack, that they have not only mastered it, but have defined it. Such is the case here with burgers. ABSOLUTELY the top 5 burgers I've had in my life, and I don't know what the other 4 were. Many say it's the best burger in the Boston area. I think it's the best burger in New England!

Ed M.

Yelp
Incredible burger!! We were lucky enough to time the crowd perfectly! We were seated immediately and Dana did a great job getting us set up...We had bar pretzels to start. The pretzels were an 11 out of 10! Delicious! Next, we had 2 burgers (what else is there?) with fries & rings on the side...one burger was the Celtic with cheese, tomato, lettuce & onion. The 2nd burger was med-well with pickles only. Food was delivered on time and was out of this world good! Bruins & Red Sox we're on TV, great 70's music (Petty, Elton John, The Band, Zeppelin) ...great, consistent spot!

Tiia G.

Yelp
I'm so glad this place opened back up after shutting down during the start of the pandemic. The burgers are so great and love when there is an options of fries, onion rings, or both. The bartender was extremely nice, checking in on us if it was too cold with the door open (it was an unseasonably nice day in February so we welcomed the fresh air) and made us feel extremely comfortable. 12/10 would recommend. (And get the Celtic burger medium rare with half n half)

Joseph L.

Yelp
I was looking for a good burger for dinner and came to this place, with recommendations that it's the "best burger" in the area. However, we had a less than good service and the burgers weren't seasoned very well. Pros: The burger plate with half fries and half onion rings is a wonderful deal. The fries are thick cut and delicious. Batter on the onion rings is deliciously crisp. We also ordered nachos with chili, which tasted great, but we would have loved more chili. Usually most places put a heaping scoop of chili on top, but we just saw random bits of chili here and there. But the taste was good. Cons: The burger was difficult to eat. I prefer burger patties which are flatter. These burgers were extremely fat, like a baseball, and the entire burger teetered about 6 inches high. Nothing was wrong with the burger, per se, but we had to add ketchup and mustard because it lacked seasoning. Which was weird, because the whole thing was topped with fresh onions, lettuce, tomatoes, and jalapenos. ALL the jalapenos fell out, and the patty itself was just bland. This place has a lot of good potential though. Perhaps we just got an off service tonight.

Marc L.

Yelp
This restaurant / bar has been around forever in a day. They are known for 8z burgers like no other. This is a fact!! There are no better burgers. It's been a few years since we've been here but what a treat. The potato wedges are huge as well. The menu has expanded well beyond what we remember. Go soon- enjoy & expect the place to be very busy. At 2:00 pm we had a 30 minute wait; so a walk around Cambridge was a way to kill time. Drive 2 hours from Maine, New Hampshire, Cape Cod & western Ma & Enjoy

Bruce K.

Yelp
Now *that* was a burger. A half-pound of beef on a bin with LTO and they have a menu with two or three dozen different sets of toppings so that you can either choose one of their creations, or you can put together your own list of toppings. I chose the Black and Blue, which came with a black-pepper crusted bun and a pouring of blue cheese dressing and crumbled bacon. It was super messy but super delicious. Burgers come with fries or onion rings, or you can go half and half. I'd recommend the half and half, as the rings are wide slices of onion in a light batter and the fries are large/thick slices of potato. Both are excellent. Decent selection of beers here too. Check the sports schedules if you're looking for something a little less raucous. This place feels like it gets quite rowdy when there's a Boston team on the tube. [Review 10002 overall, 1582 of 2018.]

Dave F.

Yelp
Was here a few weeks ago for a work trip. This was highly recommended by a coworker. So many burger options. Got the pepper burger. Great pepper burger. Super juicy. Fries are too large.basically potato halves. Onion rings were perfect though as I did a half and half to try both. Good beer selection. Those those using company Amex, they do not take Amex.

John B.

Yelp
We hit this spot after a recommendation from my daughter. We agreed that this was one of the best burgers we have ever had. The burger meat was the real deal fresh and delicious not a frozen patty. Our server was handling the bar and customers at the table and she did an amazing job! This place is old school and does things the right way. I am looking forward to a quick return to Sommerville to take down another amazing burger.

Mike C.

Yelp
Under New Management #1 Burger Menu DISAPPEARED very sad, they had an AMAZING SELECTION. If I had known I would have walked to Lynn Location if it took 2 days. The burger's are still huge but limited to kinds you can get due the change. Staff is great & right on top of making sure your needs are met. My opinion is they should step up their game & get creative add new choices that the lynn location don't have.

Sonia Alisa J.

Yelp
Holy god these burgers are to die for!!!!! And make sure to get the fries!!!! This place is no joke, come hungry!!!

Vy H.

Yelp
I was excited to try this place after reading about it on a list of 50 foods to try in Boston on Thrillist. RF O'Sullivan & Son doesn't take reservations but since the Patriots weren't playing on this particular Sunday, I assumed it was safe to go. After giving the menu a quick scan, I chose the black and blue burger because I love black pepper and blue cheese. I opted to also add onion, lettuce, and tomato. Why the 3 stars? Because even after all those added toppings and a patty encrusted in black pepper, I was still waiting for a pop of flavor. My 3 fellow diners also agreed that the burgers were good, but far from being the best. This was a "I'm glad I did it at least once" kind of place.

Jose B.

Yelp
Just went here today a nice beautiful perfect Sunday afternoon on recomendation of the famous Phantom Gourmet who I watch on the weekends because they make beautiful food porn videos. Their recommendations I take with a grain of salt but I'm glad I camI brought my son ( a true burger lover) to have a burger here. He had a Bacon Cheseburger with onions lettuce and tomatoes cooked medium. I highly reccomend it perfectly charred and tasty of great beef. The place was empty because the day(Sunday) was so nice outside and I loved that too. The onion rings are a must the french fries are enourmous more like wedges that have been partially boiled then fried very tasty as well. I had a bowl of chili which I didn't like but it serves me right for not getting a burger. Mimi our waitress was way too cool in fact I kinda miss her.

Joe C.

Yelp
Burgers, Burgers, Burgers We live in Rhode Island, but take a lot of road trips north in the Boston area. I've heard so many good stories about this place, we had to try it. It was worth it. This is exactly the kind of place I like. The burger grill is right behind the bar. You drink and watch them cook your food. It smells great. This is a very lively place that is always busy and for good reason. Needless to say we all ordered burgers. Absolutely delicious. The burger is like a baseball, very meaty and juicy. Great beer selection and well poured drinks. Tip: Get a bar seat, it is very interesting to watch the kitchen staff cook up the orders. Overall: My new favorite place to hit going up towards Boston. Burgers and beers. I have almost 700 reviews and only have about 25 (5) star reviews. This is one of the, because they make their signature item soooooo good. Thanks

Jack W.

Yelp
This neighborhood pub is just what the doctor ordered: a simple straightforward menu of almost entirely burgers (pick one thing and do it well), friendly, prompt, low key service, and no frills. There are no restaurant logos or slickly designed signage. We slipped at around 5pm on a Saturday after a day of shopping and immediately got a table. The burgers and fries were great. My wife's IPA was a thumbs up. Made us wish we lived in the neighborhood.

Lisa E.

Yelp
Very cozy little pub with a grand selection of interesting burgers. The patty, shaped more like a oval large meatball than a typical flat sphere, was one of the most tender and mineral flavored burgers that I have ever had... mine the Swiss mushroom medium rare. Ordered rare would have certainly produced a far too underdone burger for even myself, this was cooked to perfection. It was almost fluffy, if that is possible, as was the small, light colored and gently seeded bun. In general, I do appreciably a flat, thinner burger but completely appreciated this round but delicate gem. The fries, not so much. I'm just not a potato lover and these were long, thicker slices, nicely well done. The onion rings, were the real winner here, some of the best that I've ever had and I liked how you could order 1/2 and 1/2 of each. Definitely a great find, a nice walk from where we were near Inman Square.

Ryan M.

Yelp
Exceptional service and the most incredible burgers in New England! Choose from over 30 burgers on their menu or build your own! Other menu items such as grilled chicken Caesar salad and fish & chips are also amazing!

Rucha D.

Yelp
Solid burger spot, popular with locals after work. Huge list of burgers here some local beers on tap. I've even managed to come in here on a weekend night once and ordered a martini, and that was one of the largest martinis I have ever had. Expect kind service and a large portion of steak, or "Sully's" fries, here. Get the half fries and half onion rings with your burger platter! I spied a Root Beer Float at another table, and it looked divine. My boyfriend had the Blackjack Burger, which is Cajun spices added to a sirloin burger which is then topped with a spicy mayo of sorts and melted cheddar. I liked this much better than my Jalapeno Burger, which didn't come with cheese, so I added cheddar. It was said to have fresh jalapenos on the menu, but it was just topped with about 15 pickled ones.

Bruce K.

Yelp
Recently reopened Uber new management. Smaller menu but everything was really good - burgers- fries-onion rings - all terrific! I would go back and try more.

Joe S.

Yelp
If you are craving a tasty and fresh meat burger, don't think twice! This is the place to be! It's my 5th time in this place and as always, very satisfied and never disappointed! I've tried different burgers and all were amazingly delicious! That big thick juicy meat is to die for! Not only great food, but prices are very cheap compare to Boston area! MUST TRY!

Mary Anne C.

Yelp
Oh yes. Fantastic burger. AND you can get 1/2 fries, 1/2 onion rings as your side. My choice (this time...and probably next time too) was the bacon and blue cheese burger. The burger was perfect. The bun was perfect. The meal was perfect. We sat at the bar, and the manager served us and he was really really nice. We'll be going back. Oh oh - the fries and onion rings are excellent.

Francis C.

Yelp
I won't tell you not to eat here, but let me tell you why I -- a 6 year regular -- will never be stepping foot in this establishment again. This review is not a rant about the food, it's a grievance about the blatant disregard for decency. When I learned that my fellow Bostonian transplant friends have NEVER been to RF O'Sullivans, I was floored and brought them IMMEDIATELY. Over the last 6 years, I would say 98% of my experiences have been excellent; in recent years, I've noticed some inconsistencies in delivering the right temperature, but I have been letting that slide. But today.... I have no words for today. JK -- I have a lot of words for today. Today, I experienced THE WORST customer service experience I've EVER experienced -- and I've had Comcast. I ordered my usual: medium rare Boursin Burger add BBQ sauce, bacon, sauteed onions, fried egg. Strike 1: I cut a sliver of my burger and it was definitely medium. But whatever. They were busy, and I was going to let that slide (actually, I DID let it slide... I didn't bring it up with the waitress). Strike 2 was when I took a "taste size bite" (see picture, I cut that sliver into 1/3), and immediately my mouth was on FIRE with cajun spices conquering my mouth. So I did what any regular would do: gave them the benefit of the doubt and pointed out that my burger had cajun spices when it wasn't supposed to. She took my burger and then a different waitress comes over, and WOW, her attitude: "So, what's the problem with the burger??" [her face = disgusted emoji] I was pretty taken aback by her attitude... because again, I've been coming to RF O'Sullivan's on a regular basis and it's the kind of place where they make you feel like "everybody knows your naaa-eh-ameee." I swallowed my irritation and purposely smiled to make sure I wasn't coming across as hostile, telling her that my burger has a ton of Cajun spices when it's not supposed to. I pointed out the liquified Cajun smears that naturally flowed on to my plate. Her response? "Oh, that's from the cheese." [her face = eye roll emoji] Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, the last time I checked, boursin cheese doesn't "bleed orange." It could be the BBQ sauce, but I tasted it, and it was definitely Cajun. BUT WAIT. THERE'S MORE: When they brought back my plate, they brought back a plate that was ONLY a burger, oh I'm sorry, HALF A BURGER. When I lifted the bun, there was legit half a patty (see picture). And not just that, my egg was basically half an egg... egg whites, remnants of an egg yolk. And also, as you can see in the pic, WTF did the lettuce come from?????????!!! Also, no BBQ sauce. Did I mention, no fries? They took my plate away before I could have a fry. When I pointed out I didn't get fries, she took my plate back, we witnessed the cook throwing fries on my plate, and I got like 3 fries. I completely lost my appetite and didn't eat. This isn't just one disgruntled waitress -- this is an entire establishment retaliating about an issue I had with a mistake they made. Oh btw, my friend who ACTUALLY ordered a Cajun burger, the Blackjack, had zero Cajun spices on it. It was clear to us that they swapped our burger patties. I understand, they were very busy. Mistakes happen, and I am all giving restaurants plenty of chances to rectify their mistakes, especially a place that I frequent. And FYI, here are the descriptions for both of our burgers: BLACKJACK: Cajun spices added to the fresh sirloin burger then topped with tangy, creole, mayo & melted cheddar BOURSON: 1/2 lb. juicy sirloin burger topped with homemade bourson cheese IT CAN'T GET ANY WORSE, RIGHT? WRONG. I was SOOOOOO angry about this whole situation I couldn't even look at the waitress when she was in our vicinity. I knew that if I opened my mouth, I wouldn't be able to hold back. But my friend, the quintessential Southern gentleman, very politely explained that while he understands they've been slammed and I made some customizations to my order, it's hard for us to justify paying for my meal when they not only screwed up my order twice, the "fix" was not even a whole burger. Their response? See note on the receipt. At no point did anyone utter the words "sorry" to us, even half-heartedly. I've had pretty bad service at restaurants but never once did I ever feel so convicted that I should leave no tip (and in case you're wondering, we still tipped). So it is with extreme regret and great sadness that I type this review to say goodbye, RF O'Sullivan's -- forever.

Gordon H.

Yelp
Until tonight I've never had a bad experience with RF O Sullivan's whether I dined in or order it out but today that all came crashing down. It started with me having to meet the driver there crossing the Main St., to get my food. plenty of parking in front of my house but the driver chose to park on the street perpendicular to my house in front of the liquor store so I had to cross the street to meet them there OK. I chalked it up to doesn't know the area and left it at that. But then I got the food a poke the bear burger and it was supposed to be cheese fries but they weren't in there they were just regular fries. I started to eat the burger and realized that the top bun is as hard as a rock. 2 stars is generous.

Kelly B.

Yelp
Wow. I am full. What a cute little place this is. Warm and cozy. The burger was yummy. I had the Gouda burger. I feel like the burger meat could have used a bit more flavor but that's just me. The onion rings were bomb. I definitely recommend.

Matt L.

Yelp
It is impossible to eat these burgers without it turning into slop on your plate. What idiot still makes a 6 inch tall burger. There are also a butt ton of racists that hang at the bar. After being served a raw burger the bar tender told me that was "their" medium rare. ITS NOT A SUBJECTIVE SCALE. Despite the constant self promotion, worst burger in Somerville.

Vincent D.

Yelp
Went way down hill. No concept of temperature. The fries are slabs of potatoes that are lost in the fryer for a couple of days then served.

Chris C.

Yelp
Not the best burger I've ever had but this spot is up there. Bread and toppings are all perfect, but the meat is alittle dry. Just letting everyone know, if you're here to eat the burger, and come out clean, you are in the wrong place. The burger will break. Your hands will get dirty. You'll get sauce all around your mouth. AND you will feel disgusting after this meal. If that is what you are looking for, this is the PERFECT spot.

DonLan A.

Yelp
I really enjoy a good burger (but am trying to eat fewer of them - health consequences and all that!). So it was with a certain amount of trepidation that I decided to take a friend's advice and try RF O'Sullivan's. Now, I should warn you. I am what some burger connoisseurs call a heathen: I prefer my red meat on the well done side. Partly this it out of fear of spending so much time in the UK (worries about mad cow & all), but I will admit some of it is just personal preference. I arrived at the restaurant/bar/whatever you want to call it just about noon. I was concerned to see only one waitress (Jill) for the whole place; turns out I shouldn't have worried. Choosing from the menu was easy: burger with well-done bacon and cheddar cheese, fries, and a diet coke. It took a little while for the meal to come out, I'm sure because I ordered my burger well done. Jill kept roving around the floor, taking and filling orders, making sure people had their drinks, etc. I was impressed! And the verdict? One of the top 10 burgers I've ever eaten! Definitely very well seasoned, and the bacon was perfect. While I've been visiting Petsi Pie (across the street) for years, this is the first time I've ventured into RF O'Sullivan's. That will change, and I will plan to return as often as I can (or until my arteries harden). Total cost: $14.74 before tip.

Amy Y.

Yelp
We arrived at RF O'Sullivans at 11:30 am on Saturday and received a friendly welcome. Besides one person at the bar, the five of us were the only patrons in the restaurant for most of our dining experience. There is a large banner out front letting everyone know that RF O'Sullivan's has been voted best burger in both Boston & Somerville. Being self proclaimed burger connoisseur's we had to check them out. The menu is vast, such that you could probably dine here once a week for a year and just get around to sampling all the burgers. The bartender was friendly and took our order promptly. Our appetizer onion ring basket came out quickly and piping hot. The thick cut onion rings are coated in a beer batter and are delicious! We each tried a different burger, cooked to different doneness and all our burgers were representative of all the accolades this pub has received. My daughter who is vegetarian was pleased to learn that she could order any of the burger offerings with the vegetarian burger or chicken breast, if one so desires. The root beer float is as good as it looks (see photo). The fries are made from large russet style potatoes cut into 6 to 8 wedges and deep-fried to perfection. The restrooms were clean, however, the floors of the pub were sticky and filthy in appearance. There was a serious amount of debris on the floors that appeared to have accumulated over time (see photo). This won't stop us from returning for the amazing burgers and sides but let it serve as a caution to those more squeamish folks. I would have given RF O'Sullivans 5 stars had the floors been cleaned in the last month. Food and service deserve 5 stars.

Gary P.

Yelp
I went here a few years ago and was unimpressed. Service was good. The burgers were just okay. And "fresh" jalapeños ended up being pickled. Fast forward to today, about 7pm on a Friday and opening night for the C's... I'll also add that the restaurant and bar were sparsely occupied. Strange I thought for a Friday evening. We placed our order and all seemed fine...two burgers, both to be cooked medium. Beers came along with a plate of pickles and mayo. We waited. We waited some more. Finally, after finishing my beer, the burgers came. I ordered the special - a patty stuffed with blue cheese. My wife ordered the jalapeño burger, even though they still only had pickled ones. (They really should change the menu by now.) Biting into our burgers, we both got blood all over our plates. Guess what? They were rare in the center. The waiter came by and quickly took our plates. The owner also came by our table and got me another beer. (I was getting thirsty and both my water and beer glass had been empty for a while.) In a few minutes the waiter shows back up with our plates. Both of our burgers were put back on the grill and cooked more. This is after my wife had cut hers in half and I had eaten about a third of mine. Now I've had steaks put back on the fire before but never a burger -- especially one that is partially eaten. At least we got new buns and sides. This time my burger was well done, and it was stuffed no more as any remaining blue cheese was cooked out while it was being further cooked. I don't need to return. There's plenty of choices to get a good burger when I don't feel like grilling.

Conor W.

Yelp
I had heard great things about R F O'Sullivan's famous burgers and I am pleased to say that they did not disappoint! I was introduced to this place by my girlfriend, she told me all about how juicy and delicious the burgers were and so we decided to go for lunch today (1/4/2020). As the restaurant and owner will admit, the burgers take about 20 minutes to cook, and it's worth every second of waiting time! The burgers come out perfectly cooked, smothered with the toppings of your choosing, and they leave an unforgettable taste in your mouth. I got the Black and Blue burger, and she ordered the Blackjack burger, a Cajun inspired burger. We shared and honestly couldn't decide which was better. They were both so distinct in their taste that it felt criminal to put one over the other. I can't wait until my next visit. In time, I hope to try all of their burgers! In my honest opinion, these are the best burgers in Boston. 10/10!

Gus C.

Yelp
Yum, well I'm one of the suspicious people that saw them on phantom gourmet and wanted to give it a try . A lot smaller than I thought but big things come in small packages . I was pleasantly surprised with both orders , one burger we ordered with a salad instead of a bun. It was a meal in itself . I orders the blue cheese burger ( med rare ) and it was perfect , the fried and onion rings ( 1/2 and 1/2 were so good .

Mike M.

Yelp
I have gone to this spot for as long as I can remember. Remember going as a young lad admiring the bar scene and older folks drinking their adult beverages and looking forward to the day I could sit at the bar. Well fast forward many years, many bar tops and stools i've come across I love hitting up RF O'Sullivan's for a beer and burger. Been about 4/5 years since my last visit. But it was a great date spot bc of the location and vibe and all their food they make is pretty good. From the potato skins, to the nachos and tenders it's all good stuff. The main attraction is their burger. People come from afar just to chow down on some good quality beef and add their toppings and forget their problems or life for a little bit. Well maybe it's just me, but digging into a burger always does the trick. Even more so here because they are hearty, fresh, and it has the backyard bbq taste we all love. They do great toppings and specials with their burgers, I like mine with just bacon, lettuce tomato. Their fries are almost like slices potatoes and it can also come with onion rings or half and half, which is neat. Love the neighborhood vibe this joint has always given out, and the staff is always great. It does get busy so go early or chose your time wisely. Worth a visit, and worth going back to.

Dwight S.

Yelp
One word. Two syllables. Burger. Extracted from the German word "hamburger" by America in the 20th century and now the essence of American foods. Burgers are our hearts, our souls, our groins. The burgers here do not disappoint by any stretch of the imagination. They are plump, they are juicy, and they are gigantic, reminding me of my most prized purple beets.

Gianna I.

Yelp
I came here with a large group for a work lunch and it was decent but I feel like it was a bit over hyped. If you like grease, this is the place for you. We were a large group and they were able to seat us immediately. The prices are very good for the serving size you are getting. I ordered the cheddar and onion burger and was a bit disappointed. The burger was so greasy it was hard to pick up and fell apart when you ate it. The tangy onion sauce it came with tasted more like a tomato base. It wasn't bad, just wasn't what I was expecting. For your side, you have the option to choose french fries, onions, or a combination of both. I did both and wish I would have just picked the onion rings. The onion rings are crispy, juicy, and fantastic. The french fries are very very large steak fries, you're basically eating a slab of potato. Our waiter was friendly but wasn't flexible with splitting up our tab. Also, the burgers do take a bit to come out so come here if you have the time. If you're in the area this is a decent place to stop by, however I would not go out of my way!

Sarah A.

Yelp
I'll probably give it another shot, but I have to say I just don't get the hype! I stopped in after a long day for some dinner, and was greeted by the very friendly and helpful bartender, who presented me with the beer menu right away. Looking at the food menu, I noticed that sweet potato fries were available -- but only as a separate order and not a substitution. I thought it was a little absurd that they couldn't swap out the fries, but ordered a bacon cheeseburger with regular fries on the side. The fries themselves were quite large, but very bland. I had ordered the burger cooked medium, but it was much closer to rare. Luckily that's not something I mind very much, but I think a place known for their burgers should know how to cook them as requested. Overall, it was just an OK experience. Like I said, I will probably give it another shot, but it seemed like just another pub to me.

Nicole B.

Yelp
Actually the best burger I've ever had. Let's break it down. Bun, great. Toasted!! Patty: crispy on the outside, perfectly cooked on the inside. Well seasoned, and the perfect size. Additions: So many options, all GOOD. Honestly I suggest just a classic burger with lettuce, tomato, onions and ketchup. Fries: they are giant. You might get 3 fries. And trust me, it's amazing. Nicest staff, very clean seating, amazing beer selection. Pretty accessible, a great place to bring parents and family.

Ayatt A.

Yelp
The atmosphere isn't the best, but that's not why you come to RF O'Sullivan's. I saw this place on phantom gourmet so I had to try it. The burger itself could have been a little more flavorful, but top it with swiss, bacon, fried egg, and classic burger fixings, and you really can't go wrong. I got my burger with 1/2 fries and 1/2 onion rings which filled me up beyond the belief. The fries are steak fries on crack, I swear they give you an entire large potato. Its all so tasty though. I'd definitely come back!

Damien S.

Yelp
There is no better burger plate than the Black and Blue ($9.25), cooked MR-M with half fries/half onion rings. I repeat, there is no better burger plate. This beast is a peppercorn coated beef orb slathered with piquant blue cheese on a lightly toasted sesame bun, with steak knife sized potato wedges and beer battered o-rings. For those who complain about the wait, clock yourself the next time you evenly sear and dry grill a baseball of fresh ground sirloin. It's not fast food; it's an incredibly perfect, bleed down your arms and make you praise the Gods of Meat for your proficient digestive enzymes meal-and-a-half. Pair it with a $5 pint of Long Trail and enjoy what all those plaques and awards preach.

Kelly O.

Yelp
I know, it's weird to come to a casual neighborhood burger joint and get the fish & chips- but hear me out. The beer batter is delicious and has a great texture, the steak fries are very enjoyable, the onion rings are solid, and their version of tartar sauce was pinkish and really tasty. Would recommend, if you're not a beef eater. Tiny, chaotic space though- be prepared to wait, be ignored by the staff, and be confused about who's next in line.

David C.

Yelp
Wow. September 12. Bartender was a complete jerkoff the second I walk in the door. But whatever. Just wanted to drink & watch the game. The guy shuts me off after drinking 4 Light beers!!!!! Shame. New owners are cool. Gotta axe this friggen tool that was working

Joey M.

Yelp
Place has gone downhill. Recently came back here for trivia and I can forgive the burgers getting smaller and greasier. Maybe its just my poor memory and they've always been like this. I can forgive the dirty floors and gross bathrooms, and slow service, whatever I know what type of place this is, I don't expect the world. But what really grinds my gears is the trivia prize. Rules apply, cant use it the same night you get it, good for two free burgers if you win first prize. OK, thats all fine. We come back the next week for triva and ask if we can use our prize. OH NO they say, you can't use it on ANY trivia night. That would be nice information to either include on the gift certificate or at least TELL US when we specifically asked. Even if thats the case, its not like it would kill you to honor the damn thing, theres 6 of us, were gonna still spend a bunch of money in the place. Make things right and honor what you said the first time.

Arlene S.

Yelp
By far one of the tastiest burgers I've had in a while! The location is very small but has charm. Not great for big groups - maybe parties of 4-5 max! Seating is tiiiiiiight! Menu has a variety of selections but if they're known for their burgers, show me what you're working with. I got the baconaator burger which the true essence of the patty is that it has crumbled bacon within it. I'm thinking bacon bits sizes of bacon - NEGATIVE!! They did not shy away from BACON!! Since I couldn't decide between the "out of the blu" burger (that was basically a burger with blue cheese) or the baconaator (a bacon burger with regular cheese), I ordered the baconaator substituting the regular cheese for blue cheese. The mix between the bacon, beef and blue cheese was what made this meal so delicious! You can choose a side of fries, onion rings or half and half. I went for the half and half and even the dang onion rings were amazing! It wasn't too doughy or too crispy. They were huge and yummy! Of course, I spied a root beer float on the menu. Everyone at the table got one. It was an average root beer float but the burgers a definitely worth the visit! Wear loose fit clothing since you'll be sitting in a tight area but your meal will be a large portion. It'll balance you out Haha!

Susan B.

Yelp
Wow!! Such a nice find- trying to find a place to park in Boston is nuts - so we were thrilled to find someplace we could park out front and didn't have a line coming out the door- But the place should have a line at the door- O Sullivan's is known for their burgers- Holy Cow Burger!!!!! It was soooooo good!!! We usually rate our burgers by the number of napkins you need to get through it - however here we decided it was based on how much juice got on the plate! This is a fresh burger - no frozen meat- Fantastic topping choices!! We sat by the grill which was behind the bar and got to see the burgers coming out to be served- we ohh'd and ahhh'd as we figured out which they were- they had a special that night that was piled high with bacon- and Ceaser Salad with a burger on top!!! I tried the Cheddar and Feta- I was expecting a crumbly feta but got a nice thick slice on top of a tomato with cheddar cheese perfectly melted over it- thin sliced onions and lettuce and the most juicy burger!!! The kind of burger that when you pick it up you don't put it down till it's gone!! Then their were the fries- they were thick sliced maybe Russet potatoes- nice and thick- nice and grilled till there was a nice crisp on each side- seasoned perfectly!!! We purposely didn't eat all the fries because we wanted to enjoy them again the next day with breakfast- they were perfect the next day!! So wish Boston was closer because we would eat there often!!!!!

Jeremy K.

Yelp
Although I'm not usually a huge fan of burgers, I decided to venture out to RF O'Sullivans on a snowy day to check this place out after hearing that it might contend for best burger in the Boston area. And by venture I mean drive about a mile because I live nearby and was lazy... But enough on that. We walked in during the lunch hour and the place was about two thirds full. It's a pretty generic-looking Irish pub. A bunch of guys sitting at the bar eyeballed us as we walked in and instants later we were seated - I then looked at the menu as our hostess disappeared and was not seen again for what must have been about fifteen minutes; I was here for a burger but what I didn't realize is that they had nearly thirty different kinds of burgers. After considering getting a standard burger I decided to go for a blue cheese burger plate instead, cooked to a medium. At $9.50, it was supposed to come with a half a plate of fries, the other half being onion rings; but I'm on a diet and the burger was already bad enough, and I decided to skip those and get a salad instead. I did glance at their other burger offerings and some I must say are rather unusual but all seem very enticing. One of them is a Hawaii-inspired one which features pineapple and another one features Boursin cheese which they spelled completely wrong (they spelled it Bourson - and it's not a typo either since it's spelled like that twice in the menu). It did sound good though. Along with these burgers they have all kinds of other items, mostly pub food though, like chili, salads, nachos, etc... All great if you're not counting calories. When our waitress finally showed up again to take our order, we were more than ready and promptly placed our order and then... fast forward a good twenty minutes and our food arrived. I had not seen that much meat since ___ (insert your very own, dirty joke here)____. The burger was huge. The patty must have been at least a couple of inches thick and perfectly cooked. It was speared with a toothpick and features lettuce, onions and tomatoes (which somehow cost extra). The blue cheese in there was a bit on the liquid side, almost making me suspicious as to what they used; Could it be blue cheese dressing? I'm not sure but either way it tasted great. The side salad wasn't bad and came with a raspberry salad dressing. I almost wished they had made their own vinaigrette; the dressing sucked, just like in most places... While I love the burger and look forward to returning so I could try other ones, I refuse to give this place five stars because the service flat-out sucked. Our waitress was very slow and not very attentive. She might have been new and I hope for her that she was because otherwise... well... good luck to her in life. She also double-charged me for the meal which I'll have to fix with my bank at some point as well. Had the service been better, along with the salad dressing, the place would have probably gotten a five but sadly they fell short. Also, what's the deal with charging extra for lettuce, onion and tomato? It's not like you're using an entire head of lettuce, an entire onion or tomato? You're using a slice or leaf of each, big freaking deal. Seriously though, that should have been included in the price of the burger and not been set as an extra...

Jason V.

Yelp
Burgers are official tissue. I will be back, bleedatt. Service with a smile. Where everybody knows your name.

Lonnie H.

Yelp
Was a Monday night guys night burger fix. Place was nice and clean we had a nice young lady server she had a great sense of humor which is always a plus when serving us. We ordered a couple of appetizers we got a pound of plump Buffalo chicken tenders with blue cheese and Jalapeño poppers both were very good nothing special pretty much your basic pub appetizers. The burgers we all got different burgers and I forget which everyone else got but I got the Empire State Burger with extra cheese the burgers were all ok but were a bit over cooked food was probably 3-3.5 stars but the service and our server was such a great sport and so nice that I wouldn't feel right penalizing her since she really was fantastic. She was only server on and was running around like crazy. Food is definitely worthy of another try if burgers were cooked a bit less they would've been great

Courtney B.

Yelp
Sometimes, you pull into the parking lot of the grocery store after a long day of errands and realize that if you actually grocery shop and then cook yourself dinner, your stomach will literally eat you from the inside out. Luckily, tonight RF O'Sullivan & Son saved me from this most painful and disgusting demise. This wonderful establishment feels like a quintessential Boston-area pub-- there's a lot of wood, a bit of grunge, and no pretense. Our waitress was very nice and friendly without being over the top- she know that we were there on a mission. I ordered the Paddy-O-Melt, which is 1/2 lb of beef "loaded with sauteed onions & melted cheddar." My burger was a perfect medium rare and the juiciest burger I've had in forever... I could go on and on and use some ridiculous descriptive language to describe just how delicious it was, but I'm just going to say that it was fucking delicious and you should want this in your mouth. I ordered my burger with half onion rings, half fries AND although both were incredible, the "fries" (translation: GIANT potato wedges) took home the blue ribbon, in my opinion. My mom also had the privilege of shoving a delicious meat wad in her burger hole and ordered the Cape Codder- although she was a heathen and ordered her burger well-done, she was also very happy with her choices and happily finished her burger and onion rings (2 lone fries remained... she just couldn't power through to finish.) TLDR: My only regret about eating at RF O'Sullivan's is that I didn't try it sooner.

Dan W.

Yelp
"Businesses are doing the best they can during COVID". Well, Yelp, not this place. Used to be a frequent visitor here due to the fact that they have a great vegetarian "burger" for my wife. At least three times prior to yesterday, I have called and asked if I could buy some, uncooked, to take home for her. Yesterday I called in the morning and asked if they had enough available and was told "yes, no problem." I even stated I just wanted the veggie burgers and not the fries, etc. When I showed up, I was told by a waitress I had to pay for the whole meal (times 4, since I asked for 4 patties) I explained that the owner told me I was all set. At this time, the owner turns around and asks what the problem is. Same guy who walked into the place right before me and couldn't hold the door for, or greet a customer. I explained that I was the guy who called and asked about the veggie burgers. Now, even though I told him on the phone that I just wanted the patties and that when I was ON the phone might've been a good time to tell me I had to pay close to $50 for 4 veggie burgers. "Well, we aren't a grocery store, I figured you'd assume that". With a complete IDGAF attitude. Nope, I would assume I could buy the patties alone like I've done at least 3 times before. The veggie burger I guess is good, but their regular burgers are nothing special. I don't care what they would serve, I'd eat at McDonald's before I'd give this ignorant jackwagon a penny. You'd think it hat especially during these times businesses would want to pull in as much money as they could. I even understand paying more than cost for them. I know I'm just one guy, and one review, and maybe the ONE table they had saytat lunchtime, and the Somerville townies are all this asshat needs to keep his doors open. I'll just go somewhere where EVERY customer matters.

Jennifer P.

Yelp
Burger was not out of this world. It was good, but certainly not the best I've had. I enjoyed the marrow burger at the Sinclair a lot more. I asked for a medium, got well done. The bread was tasty but could not support the burger and all of the whole thing (lettuce, tomato, carmelized onions) came undone....I major pet peeve of mine! No burger should be eaten deconstructed! Staff was friendly, attentive. Came here for lunch on a weekday so it was pretty quiet.

Anastasia S.

Yelp
Despite these reviews, we saw the MUST GO on Thrillist....please do not go, something is wrong with the blogger that posted that article; absolutely right, you cannot eat their burgers, and their fries...are NOT fries....they're pretty much potatoes cut into fours. Seemed like they were trying to feed a village with one order. Very unnecessary amounts of food and no flavor. Very bummed, wish it was better. Waitress was good however, very quick.